From penang island to ipoh.
Transport:
Geroge town -> butterworth bus terminal via FERRY.
Butterworth ->
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
May 2009 -malaysia backpacking- 1 - penang
I remembered setting off on a sunday night right after my usual sunday family dinner with my family. It was really quite impromptu that I decided to pack and leave for malaysia on that day, at 730pm to catch a overnight bus to Penang. Quickly packed everything i thought i needed- guide book, money ($200 plus sin) , passport, jacket, some clothes, washing powder. And off i went, crossing the causeway toward larkin bus station, starting my first backpacking trip alone.
(JB) to Penang- overnight bus of 10hours on a VIP bus. RM65. It was a comfortable ride there, i wouldn't say i slept well (hello, i was on a super budget-what's comfort?).
Day 1- pinang island- uncle wong- big buddha
Arrived at sungai nibong bus terminal on penang island at 645am. Two teksi uncles tried to nudge me to take their cab, calling for RM25 to bring me to Georgetown, lebuh chulia (street). I was like what! Wikitravel said it's only RM2.50 to take the bus! I rejected them and he directed me to the wrong busstop and made me wait like an idoit for 15min, missing two buses.
Anyways, my hostel is located at love lane (how sweet) which is off the big main street called lebuh chulia. Ate breakfast the old school way, seated jus off the road, kopi old uncle playing chinese FM from his old radio. I love that nostalgic feeling of eating lo-tii jus off the road side.
Wondering for awhile, i finally found my old penang guest house on love lane:) it is so beautiful! For those who know me, i'm damn buay paiseh. I actually kind of pestered the nice uncle (uncle wong) telling me where to go, how to go, where to eat etc. To the point that he actually offered to send me to the laksa place after his work. Oh wells, i really didnt force him ok. he was really nice.
Met a korean guy at the goddes of mercy temple and ended up spending the day with him. We went on trishaw for 1+hour. We went fort cowallis, khoo kongsi, fisherman house (clan jetty). In the afternoon, uncle wong brought us toward ji le shi temple, where he stays nearby. At the temple, i found that the korean can read chinese words! and pronounces just alittle off. We then went to perankan manion where they filmed little nonya and penang hill. And continued to macallistor street for makan at night:) Buses end at either jetty(near my hostel) or komstar (near macalistor st).
oh well, that nice korean guy whom i thought was friendly, cool and harmless, actually became alittle harassing! I thought he was a nice traveller but he turned to be wanting more from me. eeeks. i told myself that i'm so not gg to travel with him the next day! So i told him to meet me at 930 when i planned to leave at 830... i had a hard time trying to shake him off man! is this what happens when a girls travels alone? cos i don't think this happens to guys... so unfair!
Day 2- to teluk bahang and balik pulau
Anyway, the transport system in penang island is fantastic! so convenient and easy to navigate around! The buses runs from ALL over the island from the town to the more ulu places like balik pulau. There's this national park at teluk bahang that has a tree top walk! for free! worth a try:)
i totally loved balik pulau. I wanted to go there becos i wanted to see some bomoh, since i studied about them in SE modules. Then this chinese woman told me all sorts of scary stories about murders and deaths in that village and refuses to loan me her bicycle. She said the bomohs cast spells on chinese becos we eat meat and they will refuse to heal chinese people. She even mentioned about the chi-malay zone in the village. This part of the island is so drastically different! so kampong compared to georgetown. more malays too. penang island is such a chi-na place that i hardly see any malays back at the city-like place. The disparity and the marginality is so obvious.
Alright, then i went on to just walk walk around. Since the place is famous for durians, i went to the buy durian from this uncle just along the road. I spent 1 hr eating there and talking to him about his life. The first durian i bought was bitter and kinda tasteless, i thot he cheated me of my money. he treated me a super good 2nd durian for free:)
MORE PHOTOS AT http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=95088&id=585331916&l=fdaf92161c
Day 3- ate super nice breakfast with uncle wong and off to ipoh
(JB) to Penang- overnight bus of 10hours on a VIP bus. RM65. It was a comfortable ride there, i wouldn't say i slept well (hello, i was on a super budget-what's comfort?).
Day 1- pinang island- uncle wong- big buddha
Arrived at sungai nibong bus terminal on penang island at 645am. Two teksi uncles tried to nudge me to take their cab, calling for RM25 to bring me to Georgetown, lebuh chulia (street). I was like what! Wikitravel said it's only RM2.50 to take the bus! I rejected them and he directed me to the wrong busstop and made me wait like an idoit for 15min, missing two buses.
Wondering for awhile, i finally found my old penang guest house on love lane:) it is so beautiful! For those who know me, i'm damn buay paiseh. I actually kind of pestered the nice uncle (uncle wong) telling me where to go, how to go, where to eat etc. To the point that he actually offered to send me to the laksa place after his work. Oh wells, i really didnt force him ok. he was really nice.
Met a korean guy at the goddes of mercy temple and ended up spending the day with him. We went on trishaw for 1+hour. We went fort cowallis, khoo kongsi, fisherman house (clan jetty). In the afternoon, uncle wong brought us toward ji le shi temple, where he stays nearby. At the temple, i found that the korean can read chinese words! and pronounces just alittle off. We then went to perankan manion where they filmed little nonya and penang hill. And continued to macallistor street for makan at night:) Buses end at either jetty(near my hostel) or komstar (near macalistor st).
oh well, that nice korean guy whom i thought was friendly, cool and harmless, actually became alittle harassing! I thought he was a nice traveller but he turned to be wanting more from me. eeeks. i told myself that i'm so not gg to travel with him the next day! So i told him to meet me at 930 when i planned to leave at 830... i had a hard time trying to shake him off man! is this what happens when a girls travels alone? cos i don't think this happens to guys... so unfair!
Day 2- to teluk bahang and balik pulau
Anyway, the transport system in penang island is fantastic! so convenient and easy to navigate around! The buses runs from ALL over the island from the town to the more ulu places like balik pulau. There's this national park at teluk bahang that has a tree top walk! for free! worth a try:)
i totally loved balik pulau. I wanted to go there becos i wanted to see some bomoh, since i studied about them in SE modules. Then this chinese woman told me all sorts of scary stories about murders and deaths in that village and refuses to loan me her bicycle. She said the bomohs cast spells on chinese becos we eat meat and they will refuse to heal chinese people. She even mentioned about the chi-malay zone in the village. This part of the island is so drastically different! so kampong compared to georgetown. more malays too. penang island is such a chi-na place that i hardly see any malays back at the city-like place. The disparity and the marginality is so obvious.
Alright, then i went on to just walk walk around. Since the place is famous for durians, i went to the buy durian from this uncle just along the road. I spent 1 hr eating there and talking to him about his life. The first durian i bought was bitter and kinda tasteless, i thot he cheated me of my money. he treated me a super good 2nd durian for free:)
MORE PHOTOS AT http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=95088&id=585331916&l=fdaf92161c
Day 3- ate super nice breakfast with uncle wong and off to ipoh
Monday, February 22, 2010
FEb 2009- mt kinabalu
Mount kinabalu (Feb 2009)
D1 arrive @ 12am
D2 Snorkel at pulau manukan and sapi with dunno-which-company
D3 MT k base and up to laban rata @ 430pm
D4 Mt k summit @ 530am. Descend for 3 hr down to HQ
D5 shopping around the shopping centre
About the snorkelling
It's worth the RM130 with 2 island plus bbq though i dun eat most of the food. The reefs were near to the shore and there were soooooo many fishes:) and we were feeding the fishes with our breakfast! kaya bread toast! lol! The beach was nice too:) We snorkeled till we had headaches man! I so wanted to eat cheaply and go road side... lek wanted to be safe than sorry and eat in restn. more money spent and not worth that price:( well, he has the reason.
About the climb
The way up was tough but not a very tedious climb with relatively steep slopes. The rhodendenron was beautiful with some humming bird chipping in the background. nice:) We were unlucky to encounter rain and it was a storm when we were jus 1.5 hour away! I was lucky enough to see a GIANT earth worm, as long as my lower legs! Thanks to the rain, ironically. sadly, my rain jacket wasn't that water proof and i was soaked!!! should have brought my rain coat instead and keep my jacket dry. The main laban rata hut has got a heater and a fantastic buffet canteen! all trekker there enjoy heater in their room:( i kinda wished lek, esther and i had a room with heater and warm water especially since my clothes were wet! Haiz... too bad i was trying too hard to save like RM50 and decided to stay at Gunting Hut instead.
The next morning we started climbing only at 3 am. It was raining the whole night! And was so worried that we cant go to the summit. Luckily it cleared out just before we left! The route was wet and slipperly with mini waterfall formed on the rock face. We had to maneuver through the rockface in the dark! omg, it was scary! After the rock face, we came to a plateau which leads to the summit. It's actually deciving to call it a plateau when it's a up slope ALL the way to the summit. Well, i just remembered walking and walking as the cold wind blew and blew. The way to the summit was a long Q of people walking behind one and other, like escalator. it was actually quite funny, coming to think of it now. haha! The wind was no joke, to quote lek, it was about 50km/h. Only a few stars:( But managed to see the KK town lights from near the top. i was early and reached around 530am with dan. YAY! many were taking photos and happily posing:) AND my camera went flat, that really suck. I was so fortunate to have met a someone from seremban to take a summit shot for me! luckily! But Too early i think. then We were SHIVERING and shivering on the summit just to wait for the sunrise.
The route down was fantastic!! love it! With lights, u can see the view we missed in the night ascend, we were literately walking above the cloud:) shiok! so stunning! :D
Next time i go back i'm gonna do the via ferrata, Which is the route down, entirely from the rock face from the summit. so cool lah. And i'm gonna try gg through agents in malaysia and not singapore. Becos it is so freaking expensive (up to $1000 plus!). I think can go throu borneo x-plore adventure (tel: 0173720802, fb: hakeemkyeel), a freelance. Dunno how much though. I wanted to do it on the spot at laban rata, but i felt the price was too steep, 150-200 sin more! Back then, i was still a student and money was really an issue. Anyway, ppl can get to stay at pendant hut if they're doing the via ferrata. other companies: ABC tour, api tour, travelmate holiday SSB.
I may try out their local homestay the next time too with Jinu Gupm, a guide we met. mx_hanry@yahoo.com
Total cost: $600 (air ticket was $195)
Book accommodation on the mountains with Sutera sanctuary lodges by calling their kota kinabalu HQ number. All inclusive with room, 2 lunch, 1 dinner and 1 breakfast was RM320. Other climbing feesss is RM 156. Snorkel RM130. Red palm hostel $27. transport was RM52. Food and shopping included:)
D1 arrive @ 12am
D2 Snorkel at pulau manukan and sapi with dunno-which-company
D3 MT k base and up to laban rata @ 430pm
D4 Mt k summit @ 530am. Descend for 3 hr down to HQ
D5 shopping around the shopping centre
About the snorkelling
It's worth the RM130 with 2 island plus bbq though i dun eat most of the food. The reefs were near to the shore and there were soooooo many fishes:) and we were feeding the fishes with our breakfast! kaya bread toast! lol! The beach was nice too:) We snorkeled till we had headaches man! I so wanted to eat cheaply and go road side... lek wanted to be safe than sorry and eat in restn. more money spent and not worth that price:( well, he has the reason.
About the climb
The way up was tough but not a very tedious climb with relatively steep slopes. The rhodendenron was beautiful with some humming bird chipping in the background. nice:) We were unlucky to encounter rain and it was a storm when we were jus 1.5 hour away! I was lucky enough to see a GIANT earth worm, as long as my lower legs! Thanks to the rain, ironically. sadly, my rain jacket wasn't that water proof and i was soaked!!! should have brought my rain coat instead and keep my jacket dry. The main laban rata hut has got a heater and a fantastic buffet canteen! all trekker there enjoy heater in their room:( i kinda wished lek, esther and i had a room with heater and warm water especially since my clothes were wet! Haiz... too bad i was trying too hard to save like RM50 and decided to stay at Gunting Hut instead.
The next morning we started climbing only at 3 am. It was raining the whole night! And was so worried that we cant go to the summit. Luckily it cleared out just before we left! The route was wet and slipperly with mini waterfall formed on the rock face. We had to maneuver through the rockface in the dark! omg, it was scary! After the rock face, we came to a plateau which leads to the summit. It's actually deciving to call it a plateau when it's a up slope ALL the way to the summit. Well, i just remembered walking and walking as the cold wind blew and blew. The way to the summit was a long Q of people walking behind one and other, like escalator. it was actually quite funny, coming to think of it now. haha! The wind was no joke, to quote lek, it was about 50km/h. Only a few stars:( But managed to see the KK town lights from near the top. i was early and reached around 530am with dan. YAY! many were taking photos and happily posing:) AND my camera went flat, that really suck. I was so fortunate to have met a someone from seremban to take a summit shot for me! luckily! But Too early i think. then We were SHIVERING and shivering on the summit just to wait for the sunrise.
The route down was fantastic!! love it! With lights, u can see the view we missed in the night ascend, we were literately walking above the cloud:) shiok! so stunning! :D
Next time i go back i'm gonna do the via ferrata, Which is the route down, entirely from the rock face from the summit. so cool lah. And i'm gonna try gg through agents in malaysia and not singapore. Becos it is so freaking expensive (up to $1000 plus!). I think can go throu borneo x-plore adventure (tel: 0173720802, fb: hakeemkyeel), a freelance. Dunno how much though. I wanted to do it on the spot at laban rata, but i felt the price was too steep, 150-200 sin more! Back then, i was still a student and money was really an issue. Anyway, ppl can get to stay at pendant hut if they're doing the via ferrata. other companies: ABC tour, api tour, travelmate holiday SSB.
I may try out their local homestay the next time too with Jinu Gupm, a guide we met. mx_hanry@yahoo.com
Total cost: $600 (air ticket was $195)
Book accommodation on the mountains with Sutera sanctuary lodges by calling their kota kinabalu HQ number. All inclusive with room, 2 lunch, 1 dinner and 1 breakfast was RM320. Other climbing feesss is RM 156. Snorkel RM130. Red palm hostel $27. transport was RM52. Food and shopping included:)
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